Volume 9, Chapter 590 – Just a Flock of Little Lambs (Part 2)

Ten strikingly beautiful women sat in the courtyard, staring at one another with wide eyes. Except for “Xue Jing”, none of them had interacted with anyone from the Cheng family. They truly didn’t know why they’d been invited. Feeling guilty as thieves, they all wore uneasy expressions.

“Xue Jing” glanced around, mature and stunning, but confusion clouded her face as well. She couldn’t understand why Qi Huang, who clearly knew her identity, would still summon her to “team-build” with this group of “ordinary” women.

As the saying goes, guests are guests. Qi Huang did not slight them in the least. She warmly served each of them a fine cup of tea, then brought out melon seeds and pastries.

“What are you doing? Setting up a matchmaking party?”

Cheng Hongling immediately scolded her by mental transmission.

“Have you forgotten? These are our potential allies!”

Qi Huang replied as if it were only natural.

“Allies? You’d better actually mean that.”

Cheng Hongling threatened coolly.

“Ahem, ahem…”

Qi Huang coughed twice in embarrassment, then swept her gaze around the courtyard. Everywhere she looked were orioles and swallows, a feast for the eyes. She praised them: “All of you elder sisters are so beautiful that, sitting here in this little courtyard, you’re like a hundred flowers in bloom. You truly bring luster to our humble home!”

“Fairy Hongling is joking. If it’s looks we’re talking about, all of us together can’t compare to even a single one of your fingers.”

A poised, voluptuous beauty offered the compliment in return, manners for manners. Her name was “Fan E”, though it was most likely an alias.

“I didn’t say anything,” Cheng Hongling denied proudly at the side.

“Heh…”

Qi Huang gave an awkward yet polite laugh and continued, “Naturally. If I couldn’t even compare to you ladies, how would I have been chosen by Lü Yi to be his principal wife?”

The ten women’s expressions turned stiff at that. After all, they were beauties one in ten thousand. Who among them lacked pride?

Hearing this, however, Cheng Hongling’s lips curled up instead. She shot a look of approval at the doppelgänger.

“You all must have just arrived at the Honghua Sect, yes? Are you getting used to living here?”

Qi Huang asked with thoughtful concern.

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“Used to it… of course we’re used to it! The Honghua Sect not only has good security, but its mountains and waters are lovely, and it’s lively too. Who wouldn’t like it?”

Another beauty with a seductive air chimed in with flattery, and the others nodded in agreement.

“With me here, the security’s bound to be good. As for the lovely mountains and waters, that’s to be expected, this is a remote backwater. As for liveliness…”

Qi Huang deliberately paused here before going on: “As for liveliness, how could this compare with the Lü family of the Weiyuan Empire? Why don’t you elder sisters go live there instead?”

At that, the ten women’s faces changed, and they started to fidget.

“Fairy Hongling is joking. We have no ties of kinship with the Lü family. On what grounds would we go live in their home?”

A cool beauty with a high ponytail retorted. Her name was Tang Yu.

“That’s right. We’re not like Fairy Hongling, you’re Lü Yi’s fiancée. What qualification do we have to live with the Lü family?”

Fan E, the voluptuous beauty from before, seconded her.

“Who says only the principal wife can live in the Lü residence? Don’t concubines live there as well?”

Qi Huang asked blandly.

At those words, the women trembled. More than half of them sprang to their feet.

“What concubines? I don’t know what Fairy Hongling is talking about.”

Tang Yu tried to prevaricate.

“If you aren’t Lü Yi’s concubine, then why did you come to the Honghua Sect to inquire about me, and even plan to kill me?”

Qi Huang asked with a not-quite-smiling look, then glanced around the circle. “And the rest of you as well.”

‘What? They’re all Lü Yi’s concubines?’

Startled, the ten women scattered like startled birds and beasts, then stood at a distance eyeing one another warily.

“Heh, about to turn on each other already?”

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Qi Huang teased calmly.

“Listen to me. Since our identities and intentions have been exposed, she definitely won’t let us go. We should unite, only then do we have any hope of winning.”

Fan E spoke up with admirable composure.

“Agreed. She’s slain one of Lü Yi’s doppelgängers. Her strength is definitely above the peak of the Incarnation Realm. If we each act alone, none of us leaves here today.”

Tang Yu echoed her.

“No, aren’t you planning to hear what she has to say first?”

Xue Jing couldn’t hold back any longer. She knew Qi Huang wouldn’t have invited her here to slaughter her; otherwise there’d have been no need for the earlier polite talk.

“What’s there to hear? Now that our goal is exposed, she’ll never be soft-hearted. Let our hands do the talking.”

Without further ado, Tang Yu summoned a treasured sword and slashed toward Qi Huang. Her white dress billowed; she did have a touch of otherworldly grace.

The other women understood the importance of unity and drew their weapons as well, lunging at Qi Huang with a readiness to die if need be.

“Not listening? Then kneel.”

With a mocking smile, Qi Huang let her divine sense surge out and crush down upon the women who had moved.

Thud!

Their bodies jerked to a halt, then, like birds with their wings snapped, they plummeted to their knees. Tremors wracked them. They struggled with all their might, but couldn’t even move a finger. Terror gradually surfaced on their faces.

“And a bunch of little lambs dare raise a hand?”

Hands clasped behind her back, Qi Huang strolled over at an unhurried pace.

The remaining women who hadn’t moved went pale with fright and retreated in a flurry, thinking, “How can she be this strong?”

“Kill them all,” Cheng Hongling said expressionlessly. With her temperament, she naturally wouldn’t spare those who’d tried to harm her.

Qi Huang didn’t comply. First, she couldn’t bring herself to do it; second, she didn’t want to stir up trouble. If she killed these women, it would only invite greater complications.

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“Xue Jing is right. Before you attacked, you really weren’t going to hear me out?”

She sounded a little helpless, then withdrew her divine sense. “I never said I would kill you.”

“Then… what do you want?”

Tang Yu stood with difficulty, sweat beading her brow, evidence of the pressure she had just endured.

“Answer me first: what does my marrying, or not marrying, into the Lü family have to do with you? Why set out to kill me?”

Qi Huang shot back.

“The Lü family has already given notice. On the sixth day of the sixth month next year, all of us concubines who haven’t formally entered the household will be summoned to serve as your dowry companions. You didn’t know?”

Fan E asked, face ashen.

“So that’s how it is. I truly didn’t know.”

Clarity dawned on Qi Huang.

“So then? If I don’t marry into the Lü family, will they let you go?”

She asked reflexively.

“Impossible—but at least it would buy us time.”

Tang Yu ground the words out between clenched teeth.

“Buy time? That’s treating the symptoms, not the root.”

Qi Huang countered.

“Such cowardice.”

Cheng Hongling rebuked them as well: “If you don’t want to marry Lü Yi, you should find a way to deal with the Lü family. Why target me? You’re only deceiving yourselves.”

“As if we don’t want to. But the Lü family is too powerful, and they have the Immortal Stele sitting in town. We can’t shake them. So all we can do is delay and keep thinking.”

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Tears threaded Fan E’s voice.

“If all you want is to buy time, then there’s nothing to worry about. I never intended to marry Lü Yi.”

Qi Huang explained.

“Really?”

A hint of color returned to Fan E’s cheeks, and several of the other women brightened with excitement.

“Why should we believe you? Who knows whether you’re telling the truth?”

Tang Yu challenged.

“Right, maybe you’re just saying this to buy time yourself, so you don’t have to deal with people like us coming after you.”

The seductive woman added her doubts.

“First, I’m far stronger than you; there’s no need for me to lie. Second, if I truly wanted to marry Lü Yi, I could move into the Lü residence right now. What could you do to stop me?”

Qi Huang’s rebuttal was clear and logical.

The ten women fell speechless. That was, in fact, the truth. If Cheng Hongling and Qi Huang were really afraid of them causing trouble, they could immediately flee to the Lü family. No one would dare say a thing.

“Go back. I’m not marrying Lü Yi. And I promise you this: after the sixth day of the sixth month next year, the Lü family’s Immortal Stele will be unable to unleash its immortal might for seven years. If during that period you’re summoned to be concubines, if you have the guts, try resisting and see.”

Qi Huang delivered her dismissal.

The women looked at one another, then began leaving the courtyard one after another. Their identities had been exposed, and Qi Huang had made herself perfectly clear. There was no point in lingering, though no one knew when they’d actually depart.

“Alas, a group of pitiful women. Who knows how many of them will truly dare to resist?”

Qi Huang sighed.

“That depends on whether they’re truly determined not to marry Lü Yi. Even without the Stele’s threat, resisting the Lü family will demand a terrible price.”

Cheng Hongling shook her head with pity.